The Lion's Pause

WE SEEK TO UNITE ALL PEOPLE WITH GOD AND EACH OTHER IN CHRIST THROUGH WORSHIP, FELLOWSHIP, EDUCATION, AND SERVICE

The news from Israel last weekend was horrifying. The brutality was beyond most of our abilities to imagine. As the week has worn on, the news keeps getting more difficult to imagine. I have struggled with what to say and how to respond. How should we, as Christians, respond to what we are seeing and hearing? Here are a few initial thoughts.

The first thing we must do is pray. It is hard to imagine a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that has been going on for decades. Each side has a list of grievances to which they can point, but nothing can justify the evil that was unleashed last Saturday. As the Christian Ethicist Sharon Delgado points out, human institutions and governments often become something more than the sum of the humans that make them up. These institutions and governments seem to take on a life of their own to ensure their own survival at the expense of mortal human beings. As St. Paul reminds us, “For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12)

Second, we must resist any effort to dehumanize other humans. Many of us have been shocked by the antisemitic demonstrations that followed the events in Israel. There is no room for antisemitism in the church. Likewise, we must remember that anyone who gives themselves over to evil is capable of the brutality they perpetrated. If we fail to see that we are capable of the same kinds of evil, we risk joining with the “cosmic power of this present darkness."

Finally, we must seek to alleviate the suffering. There will be humanitarian efforts organized in the weeks and months to come. We can use our resources to bring comfort to those who have been harmed by the horrors of violence we have seen.

Fr. RJ+

Who is my neighbor? This was the question posed to Jesus by the lawyer that prompted the parable of the Good Samaritan. The concept of neighbor in a globalized economy becomes very complex. My actions, particularly my choices in making purchases, have an impact on people in distant parts of the world. I affect people I will never see or know.

I recently saw a woman in the grocery store who did not have enough money to pay for everything she had in her cart. She had mostly fresh fruits and vegetables, the kinds of food she knew her children should be eating. She was struggling to make a decision about what to put back. It was easy for me to have compassion for her. I could see her. I could imagine her desire to feed her children well. I had no hesitation about offering to pay for the few things she could not afford. What kind of person would I be if I saw my neighbor in need and passed by on the other side of the road.

The United Nation describes extreme poverty as living on less than $2.15 per day. Eight percent of the world’s population falls into this category. I do not know personally know anyone who lives on less than $2.15 per day. I am guessing that at least some of the things I own were made by people in that category. Apple and Microsoft both use sweatshops in their manufacturing operations. The people who made my phone and computer are my neighbors. It is not as easy to have compassion for them because I have never seen them. I cannot pull money out of my wallet and improve their lives.

I certainly do not have the answers to solve the world’s economic problems. I cannot change the global economic system. However, with a bit of awareness, I can try to make choices that might help my neighbors in some small way.

RJ+

Sunday, October 15

Holy Eucharist at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.

New Member Class at 9 a.m.

Lessons

Bulletin

Live Stream

Wednesday, October 18

Evening Prayer, 4 p.m.

Zoom Bulletin

Saturday, October 14

Reminder- Cluster Dinner, 5 p.m.

Servers this Sunday, October 15:

Eucharistic Ministers 8 a.m.: Sara Strattan

Eucharistic Ministers 10 a.m.: Bruce Schutrum, Anne Coen

Acolyte: Danny Holihan

Ushers: John Willoughby, Gary Mull

Altar Guild: Diana Cornell, Paulette Frech, Susie Hines

Lazarus Committee Update

Thank you to the Vestry, the Lazarus Committee and the Buildings and Grounds Committee for coordinating the renovation of the Columbarium floor. We have included a few photos, but if you have a moment please take a visit to see it in person.

I would also like to thank the Vestry and the Lazarus Committee, especially Kathy Sloan and Katie Kuceyeski, for updating the documents for our End of Life Resources. I will elaborate on the benefits of these documents at an upcoming service, but please take a moment to review these resources if you have not already done so. We encourage parishioners of any age to take advantage of these resources. They are incredibly helpful to loved ones and for the church to assure that parishioners' funeral arrangements and other wishes are followed at the time of their passing. If you have additional questions about these documents, please do not hesitate to reach out to me or Fr. R.J.

Sunday School Outreach Project UPDATE

Our SS children and preteens gathered on Sunday, October 1 to assemble more hygiene kits for Hope Outreach Ministries. We assembled 361 kits after their music class, while talking about how these kits help others and prayed for them.

Afterwards, they all made birthday cards for our very own Dr. Morrison to celebrate his 98th Birthday! 🎂

Special thanks to Gary Mull for delivering the kits to Hope. We are still accepting Dial Antibacterial Bar Soap, New Washcloths, or cash/check (with SS Outreach on memo line) to help us continue this worthwhile ministry. Thank you to everyone donating!! Total hygiene kits to date:

1,861 !!!! 😊

Beth Bletzacker

Coordinator

Book Club

What a great turnout we had for our October book review of The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd. Eloise did a great job leading us through the author's notes, which provided such great detail. We also welcomed Janet Bailey who was visiting from Columbus, and contributed greatly to our discussion. We hope she will visit again soon!

We decided on books for the next two months. For November, we will be reading The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown. This is a true story about the American Olympic rowing triumph in Nazi Germany during the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. BTW it will be released as a movie in December! Let's go!

The book for December will be Dream Town by Laura Meckler, a recommendation from Sara. It is about life in Shaker Heights starting in the 1950's when they developed a national model for housing integration. The author takes a deeper dive into the project through the years and into present day.

Next meeting is November 13 at 3:00 in the library. See you all in November!

Leslie Redmon

Christmas is coming….and so is Thanksgiving! It is time to donate to Thanksgiving Baskets Downtown, led by our sister church, St. Paul’s, and A Community Christmas. Both organizations need our financial support and donations will be split between the two groups. No longer do we need to lug food to the church. Stark Fresh coupons are given for recipients to select their own food. A turkey or voucher is also given. As for A Community Christmas, I have requested that we adopt two families of four. You may wish to volunteer to shop for the gifts. Intake day for all gifts is Tuesday, December 5. Any extra money will be donated to A Community Christmas to assist in aiding families who are not selected for adoption this year.

Sue Little

The Diocese has continued to offer easy online giving. To use this, please select "St. Mark's Canton" from the dropdown, and choose either a one-time or recurring gift. We thank you for your continued support.

Designate a Gift to St. Mark's

NOTABLE - Bob Morrison

After church each Sunday when I was downtown at First Methodist, it delighted me when folks would come up and chat. As a youngster I would scamper up to the organ console to chat with Henrikka Whelan - a chat she had no interest in pursuing, so, as an adult, I vowed to welcome anyone to the console. I remember five-year-old Tommy White. I took his little chubby hand and we played a hymn on the carillonic bells. He went on to be a piano teacher, good friend, and road manager for organ virtuoso Virgil Fox.

One of these visitors was Kennard Voyles - a Renaissance man if there ever was one. He was quite musical - he arranged a Mexican Christmas carol I've played at St. Mark's. He owned a vintage Hammond Organ which he had updated with the latest devices to enrich the tone. And he was an electrical engineer who rebuilt, twice, an amplifier for the Methodist carillonic bells.

And he loved vintage cars. He owned one of four rare Packards, a 1931 Rolls-Royce with amazing luxury features, and a 1967 MG red convertible. Our own St. Mark's Willoughby family lived around the corner from Voyles and their eldest son Patrick, about age 15, became enamored with neighbor Voyles' collection - so much so that the two spent hours working on these vehicles - and when Patrick tied the knot with his bride on July 6, 2002, the young couple drove to their honeymoon in that MG.

All this to say that Kennard, at a St. Mark's Christmas service, was dismayed when I played the antiphonal trumpet -- which left me with a conundrum: how could I use that trumpet in a way that wouldn't shock people sitting in the back of the church?

October Birthdays

1 Robert Morrison

4 Ivy Smith

8 Gail Sack-Wetherell

10 Fr. RJ

16 Pat Silagy-Wesson

18 Bobbi Gordon

21 Tom Burns

24 Becs Hostetter

October Anniversaries

1 Dave and Christy Thorley

5 Chuck and Karen Violand

16 Derek and Emily Gordon

*Please note: Your birthday/anniversary will only show up if you've completed your profile on Instant Church Directory.

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Prayer Concerns

Vonda Temelkoff, Henry Aegerter, Jim Weaver, Jane Schutrum, & Ron Brookes

Family and Friends: Summit Rosenberg (Israel conflict) & Heather Armington (Grandson & friend of the Watters); Jane King; Paul Kit (son of Maxine Kit); Lee, Theresa, & Addelyn (friends of the Hixons); Bill Schumacher; Don Siegfried, Darin Hill (friend of Derek & Emily Gordon); Elaine Campbell (friend of the Turners); Sammy (friend of Leslie Redmon); Bob Rownd (friend of John Werren & Anne Coen); Judy Heisser-Turner (sister of Bert Heisser); Melanie & Trish (friends of Paulette Frech); Broden Burt (Son of Ben and grandson of Chris & Carol Burt); Pam Lagodich, & Bill Allen (friend of the Mulls); Pat Walter & family (friend of Barb Whitehouse); Don Martin & Mark Osterhage (classmate & neighbor of the Watters); Alycia Geis (Karen Violand’s friend’s daughter); Michelle Graber (Bobbi Gordon family/friend); Janet Sheatzley-Morgan (sister of Barb Siegfried); DaNay Jackson (friend of Ron Brookes); Allison Cornell-Hood, Jody Serentsis, & Anne Higgins (daughter & friends of Diane Cornell); Finnigan Savage (friend of Pam McCarthy); Gail (sister-in-law to the Rands); Lynnda Hoefler & Jimmy Little (friend & son of Sue Little); Yanette Pysher (Vonda Temelkoff’s cousin); Tony Donahue (friend of the Boyds); Marc Hostetler (brother of Susan Hostetler); Baby David (acquaintance of the Nadels); Judy Pilessi and Johnny Willoughby (friend & grandson of the Willoughbys).

For those who have died.

For those in the armed forces.

PRAYER CHAIN:

St. Mark's has a group of prayer warriors who pray for the specific needs of those on the prayer chain. If you would like to place yourself or a loved one on the prayer chain, please contact Bobbi Gordon at ggordon24@sbcglobal.net

Prayer requests may be placed on the private Prayer Chain or on the Prayer Concerns list appearing in The Lion's Pause and Sunday bulletin or in both places. Please let Bobbi know your preference. Unless otherwise instructed, names will be listed as we receive them. Please update Bobbi or Katie on the status of your friends or family members as to when they may be removed from the prayer lists.